Profile of our Vineyards: Estate and Terra Bella
The 231-acre ESTATE vineyard is strategically located in the rich and fertile San Joaquin Valley. Developed in 1997, this vineyard stretches for a mile along the east side of Highway 99 near Pixley, California.
TERRA BELLA vineyard is also located in the Central Valley, just 15 minutes from the ESTATE vineyard at Avenue 104 and Road168 in Terra Bella. This 199.5-acre vineyard was developed from 1999 to 2001.
Both vineyards were developed from open ground by grafting the desired premium variety wine grapes onto the perfect wild root. The wild root provides a beautiful canopy to the vine that serves as an umbrella, protecting the grapes from sunburn. The vines flourish in Central California’s nutrient-rich soil, producing high-quality wine grapes in premium varieties.
The founder of Cacciatore Fine Wines & Olive Oil Corp, Vincenzo Cacciatore, departed from conventional planting habits and introduced a new method of vine spacing called high-density planting. Vines are spaced 3 feet apart with approximately 1,200 vines per acre. His innovative trellis system accommodates high-density planting and utilizes drip irrigation to provide sufficient water to irrigate a large number of vines.
Drip irrigation helps conserve water, a vital resource. The ESTATE and TERRA BELLA vineyards have their own water reservoir. Water from the vineyards’ own wells, as well as from the local water districts, is pumped into the reservoir, and then to a battery of filters with booster pumps designed to distribute water to each vine.
In addition to an advanced trellis system and state-of-the-art drip irrigation system, Mr. Cacciatore’s revolutionary planting concept also limits the yield to 14-16 pounds of wine grapes per vine. Avoiding vine overload allows a deep root system to form, which helps prevent the unpleasant taste caused by a superficial root system exposed to the San Joaquin Valley’s extreme heat.
